Henry Ford College Reaffirms Commitment to being a Welcoming College

Henry Ford College Reaffirms Commitment to being a Welcoming College

“The College is welcoming to everyone – immigrants, refugees, internationals and diverse individuals from all walks of life seeking education and employment opportunities. The College is an integral part of the diverse community it serves. The College desires to reaffirm its long-standing commitment to being a welcoming college,” said HFC Board of Trustees President Mariam Bazzi.

According to HFC President Dr. Stan Jensen, HFC’s long-standing commitment is woven throughout its College Mission Statement, values, policies, services, and daily practices. HFC reaffirms this commitment as follows:

HFC will continue to provide a safe environment, free from intimidation and discrimination. HFC will continue to protect the civil rights of all College community members by prohibiting and taking prompt action against all forms of discrimination, harassment and violence based on age, race, religion, national origin, immigration status, gender, transgender, gender expression, gender questioning, weight, disability, perceived disability, veteran status and any other legally protected personal characteristics. HFC shall continue to provide support services to victims of such prohibited conduct.

HFC will continue to be an educational voice for acceptance, understanding, compassion and inclusiveness for our racial and ethnic minorities and Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Questioning (LGBTQ) community members.

HFC will continue, in accordance with the Family Educational Records Privacy Act, to not disclose the private educational records of its students without the student’s and/or his or her guardian’s consent or as required by law.

HFC does not and will continue to refrain from inquiring about or documenting a student’s or family member’s immigration status except as required for processing student visas. HFC will not disclose such information without the student’s and/or his or her guardian’s consent or as otherwise required by law. HFC does not and will continue to refrain from tracking undocumented students or their family members.

HFC will continue to follow the law applicable to inquiries from and visits by immigration officials to College property and require search warrants and court orders as may be applicable to legally protected private areas, student and employee information and records, except when to do so would be detrimental to the College and the community it serves.

HFC will continue to provide support services including without limitation, counseling and advising services regarding student visas, financial aid, scholarships, internships, career opportunities, College community integration, the international student resource center, disability accommodations, victim support services, mental health support, diversity and inclusiveness programs.

HFC shall seek to enhance its continuing partnerships with community-based organizations and legal services organizations as referral sources for students and employees with immigration and LGBTQ rights questions and communicate these sources to the College community.

HFC shall continue to embrace the principles of First Amendment Free Speech, academic freedom and the free exchange of ideas, and recognize the free association rights of faculty staff, students and their respective organizations. The College does not and shall continue to refrain from engaging in profiling or discriminating against students, faculty or staff based on political affiliation, immigration status, gender, gender expression or transgender status.

“HFC will continue its commitment to welcome individuals to our campus from all walks of life. That has not changed. In fact, we wish to reaffirm this commitment to our students and the community we serve. Our diverse knowledge, skills and families, as well as the community that we serve is a testament to who we are. Their knowledge, perspective, skills, backgrounds and experiences enlighten our College community, contribute to its growth and provide a firm foundation for tomorrow’s leaders,” said Jensen.

Fadwa Hammoud, a member of the HFC Board of Trustees, chaired the Policy Committee that brought this resolution forward.

“In the context of a national climate that has brought to the forefront concerns with immigration issues, our resolution reaffirms that HFC is a welcoming community dedicated to principles of diversity and inclusion. We value all members of our HFC family and will continue striving to ensure that everyone interested in quality higher education can feel welcome here,” said Hammoud.